Out of Darkness, Into Light
by ekangaroo
Summary: Inspired by the Season 2 Promo by A-Z. I read somewhere that the kissing scene would be in an episode called "Darkness and Light", which explains why I made the title, but I apologize if I'm wrong. Hope you enjoy :
1. Blinded

Hi, this is my first time writing at , and I have been an ardent fan of Callian for some time now. This plot was influenced by the A-Z promo of Darkness and Light. (basically just the kissing :]) I tried not to make it drastically unrealistic, because although it would be a pleasant read, I didn't want to raise the hopes of those who are dying to watch that episode on FOX like I am… well not too much anyway. I would love to hear some feedback, because I honestly am unsure of whether to continue or not :P

But for the time being I hope you all enjoy this episode!

(P.S. I do not own Lie to Me*)

_Cal Lightman sat in his office, fidgeting with a small velvet box. Every time he dared to open the box, his throat would suddenly become dry and his fingers would start to shake again. But it's okay. It's just him in his own office. The only place in the building where he can think without a mask on._

_Gillian Foster enters the room; Cal briskly shoves the box in a nearby open cabinet and flashes her a smile… while putting his mask back on._

Cal: Mornin' Luv.

Gillian: Good morning. Have you heard about the new case?

Cal: Uh-no, what's it about? _He suppresses a shoulder shrug, pretending not to know in order to elongate the extra time Gillian would need to stay to explain the case._

Gillian: According to Loker, there have been multiple children disappearing in Vienna and the one thing those kids had in common was that they were all newly adopted children from the same adoption center.

Cal: Huh. So we get to go to Austria, luv?

Gillian: Cal….c'mon. Vienna, Virginia.

Cal: Oh, oh right…(_Loker had failed to clarify… Cal tries not to look too disappointed at a missed chance of flying with Gil)_

Gillian: So.. Loker volunteered to go undercover with Torres and pretend to be a couple interested in adopting a child to question the people working the place.

_Cal's left eyebrow gives the slightest twitch that Gillian barely notices. She looks at him quizzically with a faint smile._

Cal: Well that's interesting.

Gillian: What is?

Cal: I mean… (_trying to find the right words)_ are you really gonna let those rookies screw up our company?

Gillian: Trust me Cal. I got this under control.

Cal: Remember what you said last time at the construction site? And at Won Hee's wedding? You said you knew what you were doing but you didn't really mean for it to happen.

Gillian: …

Cal: _(like your wedding…)_

Gillian: Fine. Then what do you think we should do? _Gill could feel her heartbeat rise and quickly tells herself to stop the wishful thinking. She pushes the tiny bit of hope that maybe Cal __wanted __her and him to act as a couple instead into a dark corner of her heart that she would visit once she gets home…_

Cal: What was that just now? The thought that just crossed your mind?

Gillian: Wh-what? Nothing. Just tell me.

Cal: (_slightly rubbing his forehead and gesturing with his right hand) _Well, I just think that for a case like this, professionals should step up and show the rest how it's done.. you know what I mean, luv?

Gillian: Professionals as in…

Cal: Us.

_Gillian curls up the toes in her heels so that her blood would not rush up to her cheeks as quickly. As usual, her efforts are futile. She sees Cal openly giving her a smirk, penetrating through her blue eyes. _

Gillian: I see… your point. _(straightens her back and heads for the door)_ I'll have a talk with Loker and get back to you afterwards.

Cal: Alright. I'll be bloody surprised if he refuses to give up the case to us.

Gillian: Why's that?

Cal: We're his bosses, remember? _and… you're the only one that's blinded to my feelings. Everyone else seems to know about it._

_Gillian gives him a quick smile and heads out the door._

_Cal mutters under his breath: I'm gonna beat that kid if he destroys this chance for me._

_He takes out the box out from the drawer again and opens it to see the Aspen ring in gold that he had spent $729.00 without regret. It had a simple yet sophisticated design… reserved yet stunning… like his lifetime companion and love, Gillian Foster. _

_Loker walks into the room with a mischevious grin._

Loker: Hello, boss.

Cal: Are you off the case for good?

Loker: Yup. Wouldn't miss this for the world.

Cal: What.

Loker: The tension between you two is finally letting loose.

Cal: Who are you talking about?_ Cal looks at him bluntly, trying to see if Loker, or rather the entire company was aware of his affection for Gil._

Loker: Uh- who else besides you and Gillian? _His grin widens_

Cal: Oh shut up. And by the way, it's DR. FOSTER. Since when did you start calling your boss by her first name?

Loker: Okay, I apologize. But she had her divorce months ago. Wouldn't it be more convenient to call her.. Dr. Lightman?

Cal: GET OUT. OUT! _He could feel himself blushing deeply. Damn. What a despicable chump. He despised Loker for teasing him and also for knowing when it worked. But mostly, he hated him for planting fallacious hopes into his head. Two Dr. Lightmans?.. Now there's a thought. Cal lets out a smirk as Loker turns around toward the door._

_Loker walks out of the office as Torres spots the satisfaction on his face in the hallway. _

_Torres: I guess it's Loker – 1, Lightman – 0 for the day._

_She decides to peek in to see what she'd missed. Instead, she sees Lightman deep in thought. _

Torres: Hey boss. I heard you and Foster are on the case now?

Cal: Yeah, where is she?

Torres: I saw her last in the coffee room.

Cal: Alright then. Go on. _His lips tighten and starts tapping his fingers on the table._

Torres: O..kay.. _(He's definitelyy nervous about something..)_

_As Torres exits, Cal clenches the velvet box in his hand. _

_Cal lets out a big breath and gets out of his chair. He straightens out his shirt and walks out of his office to the coffee room. _

_It's time. _


	2. Private, but not so much

Note: I previously read in other sources that the Callian kiss would occur in an episode called "Darkness and Light" later this season. I realized this morning that the sources weren't confirmed and I'm sorry if I was wrong or if I confused anyone. [FOX owns Lie to Me*]

Chapter 2

_Gillian stands over the boiling water… watching the bubbles and the steam rise into the air… She looked at her clothes. She was wearing a light berry Aveline dress from that dropped just above her knees. Her wrists were decorated with Luxe cocktail bracelet that suddenly reminded her of last Christmas and how Alec had surprised her with the lets out a sigh and reaches into her bag to pull out her wedding ring she had kept in secret. It wasn't something to hide, really. Just… a memory.._

_Gillian: What am I doing… Here I am, holding on to the ring of a failed marriage and reminiscing on the gift of my ex! And I'm wearing pink! I should be happier than this…_

_Cal Lightman walks in the room. His eyes land directly on the V-line of the strap of her dress that does a remarkable job at exposing cleavage and teasing his gaze to fall beneath the strap where the tightening of the dress further accentuates her slender yet curvaceous body. _

_It takes Cal a few seconds before realizing the contemplating look on Gillian's face and making sure to close his mouth._

Cal: I don't know if it's just me, but that looks like boiling water. _He points to the stove. _

Gillian: Oh-! Yeah… I was just .. thinking about something. _She hides the ring in her left hand away from Cal's direction. _

Cal: You okay, luv?

Gillian: Yeah I'm fine. _She turns off the stove and takes out instant coffee mix from the cabinet. _

Cal: How come you always use the mix? It's quicker to just get the ground coffee from the maker that other people use.

Gillian: I never know how much cream and sugar to put in my coffee while simultaneously keeping track of my calories. Plus, it tastes better. _She flashes him a smile, revealing her pearly whites surrounded by her luscious lips. Cal stops his tongue from licking his own. That was a close one._

Cal: If you say so, luv. Care to pour me a cup?

Gillian: Sure. Just one second. _She walks over to the cupboard for another cup. _

Cal: So um.. listen. About the case,

Gillian: Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Loker said he'll take another one and hand this one over to us.

Cal: Yeah, so… well… I was wondering if uh- _Gillian puts her left hand on the table to reach up for the cup. _(_why was he so nervous? C'mon then. Out with it!) _if you wanted to get some din—_She forgets momentarily about the ring that was in her grasp before and lifts her hand from the table. Both of their eyes immediately shift to the gleaming object in silence. It was an object that no longer had significance to one and triggered contempt in the other. _

_Cal was not man easily given to surprises… especially those of Gillian Foster, a woman he knew like a book. More like a fantasy novel. But this…this had not crossed his realm of possibilities before._

_What was he thinking, forcing her to take away a case from one of her workers and then asking her to pose as his wife, failing to realize her lasting feelings for Alec? Alec… that bastard… _

Gillian: Cal, you were saying..? _Oh my God. How am I gonna explain this… She looks at the ring, listening to her heart yelling and reprimanding her for being so stupid. He definitely saw it… and he knows where it's from. _

Cal: Nothin'. I'll be in my office. _He tries hard not to make his anger expression lines evident and rushes out the door, leaving behind a confused and regretful Gillian._

_Gillian: What great timing… (looks over at the ring) You… have not done me any good since I first wore you on my finger. _

**(Cal's office)**

_Cal sat dumbfounded in his chair, staring out the window. He had hidden away the box that had filled him with anxiety earlier that morning back into his desk drawer. It wouldn't come out again for a while… or perhaps ever. He should have known... What was he thinking when he bought the ring? Well, it's just a case. And it would only have been an undercover project. Shoot. Maybe he overreacted… what if he made things awkward?.._

_Gillian Foster walks in the room holding two cups of coffee. Cal tries to fathom the anxiety and sorrow in her eyes. _

Gillian: Listen. Cal- (_placing the cup of coffee on his table and sitting down across from him) _that ring… I was only looking at it so that – _(Cal interrupts)_

Cal: Thanks for the coffee, luv. Or is it Joe? Java? Mud? Murk? Jamoke?

Gillian: Cal… I know you're upset.

Cal: Me? Nahh I'm terrific. _He grins, making sure to contract the muscles in his eyes. _

Gillian: Cal you can fake a genuine smile in your eyes but the frown on your face contradicts it.

Cal: The coffee seems a bit stale. Who ground it this morning?

Gillian: Nestle mix.

_Cal raises his eyebrows to show indifference. Gillian looks back at him, her lower lip opening and drawing in air as if she had something to say. Cal doesn't want to hear it. Not yet at least. He'd had enough of Alec reminders for the day. He takes out his phone and starts dialing a number._

Cal: I got an urgent call to make to the FBI regarding the re-election of Senator Hawkins. How 'bout we talk later, alright?

Gillian: Yeah, okay. But um Cal..

Cal: Yeah?

Gillian: Are you free tonight for dinner? I just thought maybe we could talk about the case…

_Cal shifts his body to face Gillian face-to-face with the phone still in his left hand. _

_Gillian suddenly spots an unfamiliar ring on his finger, causing her jaw to open slightly and her neck to stiffen. _

_Cal remains silent… scrutinizing her face in disbelief. Did I hear her right the first time?_

Gillian: (_looking at the ring on his finger) _I mean.. we don't have to. Actually, let's not. I know you're busy with other things. I'll.. I'll just be in my office.

Cal: If you need me.

Gillian: Cal…

Cal: Cuz you usually add "if you need me". Are you mad at me, luv?

Gillian: _(yes…)_ No. of course not.

Cal: That does not explain the nod you just gave me though. _Gillian's eyes away from his face. She turns her body and starts walking toward the door. _

Cal: My place at 6 o'clock. I'm making chicken alfredo pasta.

_Gillian reponds with a faint nod as she exits the room. Cal looks at his drawer again… maybe it's not too late. Gil hadn't looked too happy but… he got the dinner date he wanted. Yess! Cal jumps from his seat and kicks the ground along with a nearby trashcan to release his excitement. He sinks back into his chair in pain, shaking his swollen foot with his hands. _

"Dad! Are you there?" - he hears a voice from his phone.

Cal: Em! Oh sorry, I forgot I'd called you.

Em: It's okay, dad. By the way, congratulations.

Cal: I don't know what you're talking about, luv. _Grins. She had heard their conversation._

Em: Dad, I can see the smile on your face from here.

Cal: (_looking around) _Where are you? What are you doing here?

Em: I'm home. But I'm guessing I was right.

Cal: … (_she IS my daughter after all..)_

Em: Don't worry, I'm sleeping over at a friend's house tonight.

Cal: Are you now? Hm.. alright. Good girl.

_Cal hangs up the phone and looks at his watch. 2:30 PM. He spots Loker walking past his office._

Cal: Oi! You! Come in here.

Loker: Yes, Dr. Lightman? _Loker dips his head in the room. _

Cal: I'm gettin' off early tonight. You and Torres can cover for me in the Hawkins case.

Loker: But we're still working on the other case in Arlington..

Cal: You two need to go to the annual ball hosted by Mrs. Hawkins to see if she knows anything about her husband's affair with that girl from the strip club. (_hands Loker two tickets) _Make sure you dress appropriately.

_Cal could see Loker trying to imagine Torres in a glamorous and provocative red dress…this guy's pupils were so predictable. _

Loker: Well… if you insist… by the way, good luck tonight.

Cal: Thank—wait what? How do you know about this?

Loker: You know…those cameras you installed before going off on your vacation to Mexico? They're still there. _(points to the corner of the ceiling where a red light stares back at them)_

Cal: So you broke… into MY account..?

Loker: I –I really didn't mean to. Reynolds was out of the building and I needed access to his files but he wouldn't pick up his phone. So I hacked into all of the passwords of the company and the two that seemed to stand out the most were "iloveyougilian" and..

Cal: So that made you wanna just break into my privacy? Did it now? _(he tried desperately to turn his embarassment into anger)_

Loker: Wait, you don't wanna hear the second password I found?

Cal: No, I don't give a bloody damn about your disrespect anymore.

Loker: "c-a-l-i-g-h-t-m-a-n"

_Cal's anger came to a halt. He looked back at Loker to see if he was telling the truth. He was._

Loker: I mean… I haven't tried it out on Foster's computer yet, but I'm pretty sure…

Cal: Okay, that's enuff. You can leave now.

_After Loker leaves, Cal returns to his thoughts. He needed to confirm this somehow…. After a few minutes he heads out the door. _

**(Foster's office)**

_Cal walks quietly into her office, making sure she wasn't in. He walks toward her computer and shakes the mouse to see the Welcome screen. He types in the letters "calightman" carefully, and clicks the green arrow with a slightly quivering index finger._

_His face contorts into an expression of utter disappointment as a red "x" appears along with a "Did you forget your password" text bubble. Ugh. He regretted ever having trusted Loker. _

"You forgot to turn CAPS LOCK off" – a soft, familiar voice greeted his left ear. _Lightman turns around to find Foster's face within inches from his own. _


	3. It's never too early

I realize the pace of the story may not be as quick as some people would prefer… Unfortunately I personally enjoy the tension between Cal and Gil on the show, which I think explains the lack of "imagination" in my writing. [Dear FOX, you are lucky to own Lie to Me*]

**Chapter 3: It's never too early**

_She had heard the story from Torres. "iloveyougilian?" She had never expected that… Actually she denied it until Loker had confirmed the password by hacking into Cal's camera system. _

_She now stood in front of a man caught with shock, embarassment, and wonder. She saved the trouble for him by pressing the CAPS LOCK button. The blue light at the "A" on the keyboard disappeared. He continued to look into her eyes, trying to see if she was still upset with him. He could see the slightest bit of… frustr—wait … disappointment? _

_Cal presses'enter' and logs into her account successfully. He gets out of her seat and lets her sit down. _

Cal: Well, I was just uh checking… to see if your computer had enough security.

Gillian: _(suppressing laughter)_ I see. And, what is your diagnosis, Dr. Cal Lightman?

Cal: I'd say your computer's not very well protected.

Gillian: Why is that?

Cal: The password is so bloody predictable. _He enjoys watching Gil blush at his remark. _

Gillian: Well you're one to talk. _It was Cal's turn to redden. _

Cal: So are we still good for tonight, luv?

Gillian: Yeah, of course.

Cal: Good.

_They exchanged a moment of silence in which Cal tried to see through her mask of the day. Frustration? Disappointment? Which was it? He couldn't understand what had made her upset at him… especially since HE had been the one to see HER ex-wedding ring. Gil on the other hand, rubbed her right thumb on her left, assuring herself that she was making the right choice. Tonight, they would discuss work, and she would try at all costs to avoid the topic of his new lover… the owner of the other matching Aspen ring he was wearing at this very moment. _

**(5:58 PM – Cal's house)**

_2 minutes… 2 minutes… Where the hell did I put the whisk? Cal frantically ran around the kitchen trying to finish his chocolate pudding before Gil's arrival. The microwave beeps and Cal rushes over and opens it to find a mush of brown..something. The phone rings. Cal picks it up with a distressed tone he's unable to hide at the moment. _

Cal: What.

_Silence…_

Cal: Who is this?

-It's been a while, Dr. Lightman.

Cal: _The voice sounds familiar… _Clara..?

Clara: I knew you'd remember. I was just curious as to how my ex-firm was doing these days… Perhaps you'd like to discuss it over dinner?

Cal: Not tonight. And your ex-firm's fantastic, thanks to a brilliant somebody.

Clara: You and your ego…

Cal: I wasn't talking about myself.

Clara: _(slightly annoyed)_ So—back to what I was saying..

_Cal looked at the clock. 5:59:30 PM. Bloody hell. _

Cal: Sorry Clara, next time. _Or not._

_Lightman hangs up the phone only to hear the doorbell ring. Great. _

_He quickly runs to the door, catches his breath, and opens the door. _

Cal: Hello dar—what? _He looks astonished at the lady in blonde hair standing in front of him still holding her cell phone. _What are you doing here Clara? I told you not tonight.

Clara: Well, it's never too early to get ahead in business, is it? I don't have to have your firm to help you. And… (_stroking his chest with her fingers) _we can also get some pleasure out of the way…

Cal: You can leave.

Clara: Something smells good. Pasta? I see you've been baking as well… _She brings his forehead down to her lips and licks off a smudge of pudding just above his eyebrows. He stiffens and turns her around with his arms to make her leave. _

Cal: Sorry luv. I think we're done with the business and pleasure now.

_A defeated looking Clara clenches her teeth and starts heading toward her car until she stops walking at the sight of the "brilliant someone" Cal had mentioned earlier. She gave her a smile that reached maybe 0.1 cm up her cheeks followed by a slight squinting of eyes as she left and drove away recklessly in her car. Gillian's eyes remained on Cal._

_Cal stood, speechless for a moment. He could feel Gillian's blood pressure rising and the pain in her heart. She started to walk slowly towards him. _

Gillian: Hi.. Cal.

Cal: Hey luv… listen—_Gillian put out a firmly stretched out hand in front of him. A sign of discomfort and request of a "STOP"he had taught her before. _

Gillian: _(forces out a strained laugh) _Cal, I know what you're gonna say. That ring… (_points to his finger)_ it's Clara, right? Sorry I was blinded by it, I should've known. I'm sorry I even asked you to dinner tonight.. I see I've interrupted something… on the other side of the line. See you tomorrow.

_Gillian turns around as Cal rushes over and grabs her arm, jerking her around to face him once more. _

Cal: No, YOU listen. _He brings his left hand close to her face, letting her see the Aspen ring. _Is THIS what's been bothering you all day? My god Foster.. and here I was, all worried.

Gillian: It's nothing you need to hide, Cal. I understa—_ Cal places a finger at her lips. _

Cal: Then explain to me what you understand about this.

_Cal pulls out his box and quickly opens it. Gillian takes one look and steps back about 3 inches. Her glance shifts from the ring in the box to that on his finger and then back again… matching rings… Come to think of it, was Clara even wearing a ring? She hadn't even cared enough to check. _

Cal: I invited you here tonight… to give you this. And here we are, standing out in the dark… a furious Clara on the highway probably filled with road rage, a Gillian ex-Foster on the verge of tears from who-knows-what conglomeration of emotions, _(but I know precisely which)_ and a Cal Lightman attempting to offer a ring to a woman for the first time in his life.

_A silence struck between them. Cal almost looked like he regretted blurting out those last words. Gillian tries to figure out the veracity of his sudden words. _

Gillian: … "for the first time…?" What about Zoe, Cal?

Cal: I never said 'marry'. Just… pick out a ring for someone myself.

Gillian: So… Zoe was the one who..

Cal: Yeah. I don't like weddings, remember? I hate the preparation even more. _Her eyes light up._

Gillian: But why are you doing this now? _Her eyes begged for an answer that would satisfy her for the night._

Cal: Well, you know, we're supposed to be a couple for the case tomorrow and I thought… _He could see Gillian's eyes sinking already. _

I might as well buy it in advance.

"_In advance…." Gillian thought. She couldn't help it. Her lips fought against her will and formed a smile that caused wrinkles to form around her eyes. Cal returned her joy with happiness in his eyes. He loved her smile, freckles, and especially her wrinkles… they represented one of the very few things Cal Lightman considered "cute" in his life._

_Cal relaxed inside. There. He finally said it. Or at least a part of it. _

_He looked at her with a pair of hazel eyes that he knew comforted her and made her feel safe. _

_She returned his gaze with the most relaxed smile Cal had seen on this gorgeous woman for days. He wanted to plunge into her deep, crystal blue eyes that captivated his soul… and just then, _

_He knew what was coming next._


	4. Vavavoom

I'm sorry for the delay for this chapter and the unfortunate cliffhanger in the previous one. I think I'm writing these chapters more in a spontaneous manner, but I'll make sure to end it the Callian way

[Lie to Me* - FOX]

**Chapter 4 : Va-Va-Voom**

_A gentle breeze swept through the sunset and between the fingers of a beautiful Gillian that were lifted in the air, waiting to be adorned by a ring that would give much more meaning to her life. In front of her stood her bestfriend, colleague, and soulmate who showed an unusual air of anxiety. He stared at her intently with a look that she perceived as either doubt or extreme desire. _

_Cal could feel a small flame of discomfort and frustration stirring in his chest. Damn it. He couldn't remember the speech he had prepared earlier that day in his office. He had even asked Loker for advice. Bloody hell… _

Gillian: Uhh Cal? _The slightest fleeting doubt flashed before her eyes. Wait… he never directly stated the ring was for me. Crap. _

_Staring at her naked fingers still in the air, she hid her embarassment by quickly withdrawing them behind her back. She felt the knots in her stomach relaxing from previous excitement but also noticed her shoulders sinking into diminution. _

Gillian: Hey, are you okay? _She reached to stroke the top right corner of his forehead as well as gently brush his hair. His eyes quickly came back into focus and straightened his back. _

Cal: Sorry, I was just thinking—about…

_He noticed he was still holding the box. Since when had they been standing there in silence? He wanted to kick himself for being so utterly stupid at the most inconvenient time but instead gulped his fears and reached for her hand. He knew she was deeply blushing by the increasing warmth of her hand and quickening pulse. When his hand left hers, both of them continued to stand, gazing back and forth at each of their rings. _

Cal: Shall we? _He took her arms in his and the two walked into his house. _

_The house was unusually clean…no one would have assumed that this was the residence of a single dad and his daughter._

Gillian: Mmm something smells good! _As Gillian started to take off her coat, Cal walked behind her and stopped her hands. As he pulled the sleeves out of her arms, he stopped and leaned forward, enticed by the fragrance of her hair. His nose trailed from her left ear down to her neck. _

Cal: I could smell this all day. _He breathed in a low voice on her neck, feeling her hairs rise and her collarbone contract. Just before his lips could mark their territory on her pure soft skin, he stopped himself and hung her coat on the hanger. Not yet. Gillian wasn't just any woman. He hadn't invited her over for this._

_Cal firmly fixed his gaze on Gillian as she raised her fork to take a first bite of the pasta. He had spent that afternoon searching for recipe tips online and even ended up calling Zoe for help. _

Gillian: It's… amazing! I had no idea you were a cook. _She gave him a pleasant smile and saw him relax. _

Cal: There's a lot more where that came from. _He flashed her a grin back. _

**(after dinner)**

_Cal walks over to wash the dishes. Gillian removes the gloves from his hand and signals him to sit in the chair. _

Cal: Hey, it's my house. I get to do whatever I want.

Gillian: I got this, Cal.

Cal: Well, there's always this option. _He stands behind her and wraps his arms around beneath her arms into the looks into the window reflection in front of them to see both of them with wide smiles on their faces. _

_Gillian: This __should__ feel uncomfortable… but it doesn't. What if I let him stay behind me… what if… _

_She gets to her senses and turns around, her hair slightly brushing against his chin. _

Gillian: You know, this probably isn't the most efficient way of washing the dishes.

Cal: Then would you give me the honor?_ Gillian tries giving him an annoyed look that soon turns into laughter. _

Gillian: You're incredible.

Cal: Incredible, how?

Gillian: You know. _She batted her eyes softly. When she realized she had, she looked down into a corner, hoping he hadn't read her. But of couse he had._

Cal: This better not be about Clara. (_jokingly)_

Gillian: I-uh-what? N-no, that's not what I was…

Cal: You know I can read faces right? _He leaned closer into her face until he could feel her smell surrounding his own. _

Gillian: Did I say incredible? I meant impossible. _She put her hands up in the air and walked over to the couch. _

Cal: Thank yer very much! _He bent over to start washing the dishes. _

_After he finished, he walked into the living room to find Sleeping Beauty, snuggled against a pillow entering the second stage of sleep. He walked over and bent down to examine her face close-up in awe. There was nothing more he could want in a woman. Every feature of her face and body he wanted to keep for himself… lock up in his room of treasures. Cal felt his hand hover over face… her eyebrows, nose, freckles… when his fingers reached just above her upper lip, he saw her eyes twitch slightly. _

He walked over to the other couch across the room and moved it so that when he lied down, his eyes were fixed directly on Gillian's face.

Cal: Good night, luv. _He turned off the lights and returned to the sofa. The moonlight that poured through the window behind her reflected off a misty glow on her face. His eyes blinked slowly and his lips move by themselves to form a smile. _

_Realizing he had closed his eyes, he opens them again to see an empty couch. He suddenly gets up and looks around the room. The sun was in his eyes, and the clock read 8:30 A.M. In the kitchen he finds a note that reads, "thanks for letting me stay. I wasn't sure of what you felt like eating this morning..by the way, I liked the pudding." Shoot. He had completely forgotten about the chocolate pudding he left sitting in the microwave. On the table there were three plates filled with pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, french toast and fruit. He smiled in surprise and appreciation and sat down to start and finish the biggest yet welcoming breakfast in a long time. _

**(Lightman Group)**

Heidi: Good morning, Dr. Foster.

Gillian: Good morning, Heidi. You look nice today.

Heidi: Thank you! Well, you always look nice so I don't bother telling you every day.

Gillian: (_laughs) _Why thank you! _She stretches out her left hand beneath her neck, tilting her head. _

Heidi: Wait… is that a ring on your hand?

Gillian: Oh! This… this is for today's case… I'm supposed to pretend to be Cal's wife and visit the adoption center to question the people there.

Heidi: Oh.. haha I see… _Gillian thought she saw a flash of jealousy on her face… perhaps regarding the ring.. or…_

Cal: Oi! Foster!

Gillian: _(to Heidi)_ I'll talk to you later! _Runs up to catch up to him._

_They see Loker walking towards them, carrying a box of Dunkin' Donuts. He stops in front of them and opens the box. _

Loker: Hello bosses. Would you care for a donut?

Cal: Nah I'm good. I had a lovely breakfast this morning. _He smiles over at Gillian._

Loker: (_turning to Gillian) _What about you?

Gillian: I'm okay, thanks. I filled up my chocolate quota for the day.

_Loker looked at the two of them suspiciously until his eyebrows finally relaxed. He walked past them, giving Lightman a pat on the back. Cal snickered inside. _

**(On the way to Vienna)**

Cal: I don't think we've ever had a case in Vienna, have we?

Gillian: Nope, we haven't. But these disappearances have been going on for quite some time… and the town council decided it would be best to leave the investigation to us before it reaches over to the FBI.

Cal: I wonder what's been keeping the town free of reported crimes.

Gillian: Well, I do think it's ironic how this is happening in a wealthy small town like Vienna. There's rarely any cases of violence, and most lower and middle class members wouldn't even be able to afford houses there.

Cal: Which makes for perfect victims, invulnerable to sudden attacks but willing to pour in loads of money for protection.

Gillian: 257 Cedar Ln….we're here.

_As they walk out of the car, Cal wraps an arm around Gillian, placing his hand on her shoulder with a soft squeeze. _

_A short, middle aged woman with auburn hair answers the door. _

Cal: Hi! My name's Cal Lightman and this is my wife, Gillian F—Gillian. _He looks over at Gil and gives her a slightly nervous wink. _

Woman: Please come on in! My name is Sylvia Cole. I'll be helping you out today on choosing your new child.

_She leads them into her office, where two men—one with blonde hair and the other with brown are interrupted in their conversation. They walk out silently, giving Foster and Lightman a nod on the way. _

Gillian: Mrs. Cole, we have been wanting to adopt a child for a very long time. _She glances over at Cal who reaches for her left shoulder and hugs her tightly. _We were so fortunate to hear about this foundation.

Mrs. Cole: I'm very glad to be of service to you. Here is the catalog of children who are available for adoption. _Hands them a book. Gillian opens it and sees rows of pictures of children from ages 2-5. Something seems off, though… _

Cal: How long have you been operating this service, Mrs. Cole?

Mrs. Cole: We reach our 1 year anniversary this fall.

Cal: I reckon that you've heard about the disappearances of newly adopted children in this town?

Mrs. Cole: Yes….I have.And whoever that's causing this horrible incident should take full responsibility._ (raises her hand toward the back of her neck)_

Cal: Do you have any pain in the back of your neck, Mrs. Cole?

Mrs. Cole: Uh- no. Why?

_Gillian: (thinking) 'People touch it when they lie. It's a classic manipulator.' I guess he still remembers the encounter with the filafel sandwich guy. _

Cal: Just wonderin'. _Gillian sighed with relief. It wasn't time to startle any suspects yet. _

Gillian: Honey, what do you think of her? (_pointing to a girl with hazel eyes and dark brown hair). _

Don't you think she looks like… Sophie?

_Cal gave her a worried look and pulled Gillian closer into his arms. _

_He saw her force a smile and her neck retreating to fight back tears. He stroked the side of her hair spoke into her ear._

Cal: We can come back later, Gil. _She shook her head in silence._

Mrs. Cole: Ah yes, Amber. She is now 2 years old, and part italian, white, korean, and hispanic.

Gillian: Isn't she beautiful, Cal?

Cal: I'm happy with anything that makes you happy, darling.

_Gillian giggled as she leaned her head toward Cal's. He leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips as his fingers grasped her hair and held her chin in place. A mildly shocked Gillian tried to organize her emotions… sadness then assurance then a va-va-voom…?_

_It's okay to do this, Gillian assured herself. After all, it's an undercover mission… and it would be suspicious if I didn't…_

_She returned his kiss with a little more passion, her hands rubbing his lower thighs. _

_Cal had not expected this kind of response. He wasn't even sure why he started it. But he certainly had no regrets. Her touch sent a vibration over his body and a marvelous sensation to his taste buds—the kind someone would receive upon taking a sip of sweet iced lemonade after 8 hours of working at a car wash on a scorching summer day. _

_Both of them quickly became oblivious to their surroundings…. The case, the adoption center, and the surprised Mrs. Cole who remained silent in her chair with her mouth gaping open… but they didn't notice,_

_...or care. _


End file.
